Salvaged and restored: The story of the Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden 紫電 probably flown by Kaneyoshi Muto 武藤 金義
By Pierre Kosmidis After close examination and a detailed salvage operation, the aircraft wreck was lifted from the seabed and saw again the sun on July 14, 1979, 34 years after it was shot down and ditched at sea. After the aircraft was damaged in battle, its pilot landed on July 24, 1945 in […]
Aviation Archaeology: Unearthing the WW2 treasures of “Operation Lusty”
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos: David J. Gray/Freeman Field Recovery Team Additional reading: Planehunters: Finding WW2 crashed aircraft and keeping the memories alive Shot down but not forgotten: The search for lost WW2 airmen and their crashed aircraft (PHOTOS and VIDEO) Aviation enthusiasts and archaeologists unearthed possibly the largest “treasure trove” of WW2 aircraft parts and […]
Bob Halstead, the award-winning photographer
By Pierre Kosmidis As a teenager in England, Bob became fascinated by the underwater adventures of Hans and Lotte Hass. In 1968, armed with an Honours degree from King’s College London University in Physics/Mathematics and a Post-Grad. Certificate in Education, Bob departed England for a teaching post as Head of the Physics Department at Queen’s […]
The Historic Restoration Committee of Saipan: The teenagers preserving WW2 history 歴史遺産修復委員会
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos submitted by the Historic Restoration Committee used by permission The Battle of Saipan was fought on the island of Saipan from 15 June to 9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. The U.S. 2nd Marine Division, […]
Aviation Archaeology: Dion Marinis, finding WW2 crashed aircraft and bringing closure to the families
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos by Dion Marinis, used by permission Mr. Dion Marinis from Australia, has located and identified WW2 aircraft wrecks and brought closure to the families of the lost airmen, decades after their fate was sealed. “My motive is to find the lost WW2 airmen and their crashed aircraft, helping the relatives to get […]
Returning the flags of their fathers: Writing the Final Chapter of WWII – 日の丸寄せ書き
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos by Rex & Keiko Ziak/OBON SOCIETY The nation of Japan experienced nearly 2,000,000 lost soldiers during the war for the Pacific. Of these approximately 1,140,000 are still listed as Missing In Action, that is, they were killed but no trace of their bodies was ever recovered. These personalized flags, given by […]
Then and Now: Noel Gayler’s assigned aircraft, flown on 8 May by Al ‘Scoop’ Vorse, aboard the Lexington, 1942-2018
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos: as credited Read: Modern Treasure: USS Lexington reveals rare F4F Wildcats Billionaire Paul G. Allen announced that his ship-hunting research vessel R/V Petrel and her crew had discovered an important piece of World War II history. About 500 miles off the coast of eastern Australia and two miles down they located the wreck of […]
Killed in Action: The three Wilson brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice and the search for the lost B25
By Pierre Kosmidis Photos and documentation by Joy Kidney “The Secretary of War desires me to express his regrets that your son second Lieutenant Dale R. Wilson has been reported missing in action since twenty seven November over New Guinea. . . .” Leora Wilson received this penciled Western Union telegram on her December 4th […]
Identified! The Mongo Reisen ”Zero” A6M5 Model 52, SN # 4213, aircraft # 154
By Pierre Kosmidis Rod Pearce has dedicated his time and efforts finding underwater aircraft wrecks and seeking closure to the families of hundreds -if not thousands- of Missing in Action (MIA) airmen from all nations that fought during World War Two. Rod has been diving in Papua New Guinea for 40 years and is credited […]
The submerged Sherman tanks of Saipan
By Pierre Kosmidis The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June 1944 to 9 July 1944. The invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on June 5, 1944, the same day Operation Overlord […]